Signal-light



T. G. vTHOMAS.

SIGNAL LIGHT.

APPLICATION FILED MAY 19. 1919.

1,384,191. Patented Ma1'. l6, 1920.

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T. G. THOMAS.

SIGNAL LIGHT.

APPLICATION FILED MAY I9. 1919.

1,334,191. Patefited Ma1*.16,1920.

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Qmitmwam A T72 701. a 8 I g9? a ll U THEODORE G. THOMAS, OF HOUSTON, TEXAS.

SIGNAL-LIGHT.

Application filed May 19. 1919.

To all rP/LUi/t a: witty coizrcwi:

lie it known that i, THEODORE (l. THOMAS; a citr iei'i oi the United tltates residing at as. have invented. new and useful Iniproveinents in fiigiial-l iiglits. o l which the follow 1;); is a specification.

invention relates to iniproven\ents inv Sl1dilll1 means and the principal object oi the invui .ion is to provide a lantern or other lamp with a nal device so arranged that it ill be plain y visible when the hut tern is held in one position. but will be in- .e when the lantern hold in another ion as only the thin edge of the device will be exposed.

Another object at the intention to provi c means tor shit-aiding the light and re l'lertiug the son c upon the signal device when said device is in exposed position and which will permit the light to be fully exwhen the lantern is held in the other ti'ljill another object o the invention is to provide a handle so ar; v.ngcd that it will indicate to the pe "ion holding the lantern the position oi the s1 nal device.

The invention al consists in certain other ifeati'lres of construction and in the combination and arrangement of the several parts, to be hereinafter fully described, illus tratod in the accompanying drawings and specifically pointed out in the appended claims.

in describing my invention in detail refererce will be had to the accompanying drawings wherein like characters denote like or corresponding parts throughout the several views, and in which Figure l is an elevation of the invention; Fig. 52 is a like view but taken at right on to Fig. 1;

l ig. 8 is a sectional view;

Figs. 4i and 5 are perspective views of the signals which may be used with the lantern;

Figs. 6 and 7 are views of the device applied to a signal. post.

In. these views 1 indicates the bottom frame of the lantern which carries the reser voir 2 for containing the fuel :tor the burners b. t indicates the hinged frame which carries the globe As shown, the frame and globe are of substantially square shape in cross section so as to facilitate the opera- Spccification of Letters Patent.

1, in the county ciliairirs and State Iiaterrtml Ma 1.. till, 19380.

Serial No. 298.026.

tion of the device. 6 indicates the handle secured to the top of the frame l; in a rigid manner.

The reservoir has soc-Aired to its top a pair of shields 7 which are diametrically an ranged, one in front of each burner so that the light iron), the burners will be obstructed ifroln opposing sides of the lai'itern while it will he unobstructed from the other two sides. Centrally arranged on the top of the reservoir between the burne is the signal device This device is r. achably c011- nccted with the reservoir by having its base 9 provided with. the dowmvardly depending legs 10 which engage the slots 11. in. the top at said reservoir. said slots being forn'led in the projecting edges ot the top so that said slots will not coimnunieate with the interior of the reservoir. I may make the body of the device in the form of a cross. as shown in l ig. l, or the device may he made as shown in Fig. 5 which sl iows a plate carr v log the word Stop If desired, however, 1 may make the body of the device of a solid plate and paint a cross thereon. When desirech one of the signal devices may be re placed by the other.

It will thus be seen that the shield 7 will reflect the light from the burners onto the signal device while at the same time obstructing the light from two sides of the lantern so that persons looking at the lantern from these two sides will clearly see the cross or other signal. without seeing the lights. Persons looking at the lantern fromv the other two sides will see the two lights, but will not see the signal as only the thin edge of the signal exposed at these two sides and this cannot be seen unless a person is close to the lantern.

The parts are so arranged that the signal device extends in. the same plane as the handle so that the operator can tell by the way he is holding the handle, the position the signal is in without looking at the signal.

If desired, the invention may be applied to the well-known form of post lamp, as shown in Fig. 6. In this figure, the supporting post is shown at 12 and the lamp at 13. This lamp is turned by the handle 1a which is connected with the inner post which has secured to its top the inner parts of the lamp.

I may use my device on the automatic signals worked by the train or the device may be used on the signals which are operated from watch towers and the like.

I may color some of the sides of the lantern to use the same as the ordinary signal lanterns now in use and the red cross may be painted on the sides of the globe.

It will be seen that when the device is used at the intersection of a crossing of two streets the signal will appear from opposite sides of the device while the other two sides will give a clear signal so that the trafiic coming in all four directions wil be iven the signal at the same time.

Furthermore, it will be'seen that when in improved signal lamp is used at the intersection of the highway and the railway and the lamp is turned so as to indicate that the highway is open for traffic, the engineer of an approaching train will. be in a position to see the danger signal displayed by the I illuminated 'red cross thereby cautioning the engineer that he is approaching the hi ghway that is open. to trafiic so that he may control his train accordingly.

It is thought from the foregoing description that the advantages and novel features of my invention will be readily apparent.

I desire it to be .understood that I may make changes in the construction and in the combination andarrangement of the several parts, provided that such changes fall within the scope of the appended claims.

What I claim is r '7 1. A device-of the class described comprising a transparent easing, a lighting medium therein, a fiat upright signal member of opaque material mounted within the casing to one side of said medium, a combined shield and reflector on the opposite side of said lighting medium for obstruct ing the light therefrom in one direction and reflecting said light upon the signal memher and means. for turning the casing to expose either the broad side or the thin edge of the signal member.

2. The combination with a lantern and its burner, of a globe for the lantern of substantially rectangular form in cross section.

a fiat upright signal member mounted" within the globe between the burner and one side of. the globe, a shield located on the opposite side of the burner and between the burner and one side of the globe and a rigid handle for the lamp lying in the same plane as the signal.

3. A device of the class described comprising a lantern of substantially rectangular form, a reservoir for the lantern, a pair of burners on said reservoir, a flat upright signal in the shape of a cross located on said reservoir between the burners with its broad sides facing two sides of the lantern, a shield located in front of each burner for reflecting the light upon the signal and a rigid handle on the lantern extending in the same direction as the signal.

In testimony whereof I afiix my signature.

THEODORE G. THOMAS. 

